Hydrangea plant named ‘Horkron’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hydrangea  plant named ‘Horkron’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; strong stems; and large mophead-type inflorescences with large pink-colored sterile flowers.

Botanical designation: Hydrangea macrophylla.

Cultivar denomination: ‘HORKRON’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant, botanically known as Hydrangea macrophylla and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Horkron’.

The new Hydrangea plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new container-type Hydrangea plants with strong stems and attractive leaf, stem and flower coloration.

The new Hydrangea plant originated from a cross-pollination in 2002 of a proprietary selection of Hydrangea macrophylla identified as code number 13-88/2, not patented, as the female, or seed parent and a proprietary selection of Hydrangea macrophylla identified as code number 6-97/2, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Hydrangea plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor in 2004 as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Dresden, Germany.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by softwood cuttings in Dresden, Germany since June, 2004 has shown that the unique features of this new Hydrangea plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Hydrangea have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Horkron’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Horkron’ as a new and distinct Hydrangea plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Strong stems.     -   4. Large mophead-type inflorescences with large pink-colored         sterile flowers.

Plants of the new Hydrangea differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea have more compact than and not as         vigorous as plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Hydrangea are more freely branching than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Leaves of plants of the new Hydrangea are darker green in         color than leaves of plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Hydrangea differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea are more compact than and not         vigorous as plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Hydrangea flower earlier than plants of the         male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Hydrangea have larger inflorescences than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   4. Plants of the new Hydrangea and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have dark pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Horsonn’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,802. Plants of the new Hydrangea differ primarily from plants of ‘Horsonn’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea are more compact than and not as         vigorous as plants of ‘Horsonn’.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Hydrangea are smaller and darker         green in color than leaves than plants of ‘Horsonn’.     -   3. Plants of the new Hydrangea flower earlier than plants of         ‘Horsonn’.     -   4. Inflorescences of plants of the new Hydrangea are more high         temperature tolerant than inflorescences of plants of ‘Horsonn’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the unique appearance of the new Hydrangea plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Hydrangea plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Horkron’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Horkron’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the following description were grown in 13-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Dresden, Germany and under cultural conditions typical of commercial Hydrangea production conditions. Plants of the new Hydrangea were two years old when the photographs and description were taken. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 25° C. and night temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 17° C. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical description: Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Horkron’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Hydrangea             macrophylla identified as code number 13-88/2, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Hydrangea             macrophylla identified as code number 6-97/2, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—By softwood cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 15 days at             temperatures about 18° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 17 days at             temperatures about 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 27 days             at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 29 days             at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white to             grey in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Perennial subshrub; compact, upright             and mounded plant habit; flattened globular in shape; freely             branching habit with about seven lateral branches developing             per plant; strong lateral branches; moderately vigorous             growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 24.7 cm.         -   Plant diameter or area of spread.—About 41.6 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 15.1 cm. Diameter: About             5.5 mm. Internode length: About 2.7 cm. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 45° from vertical.             Color, developing: Close to between 144A and 146D; at the             nodes, slightly tinged with close to N186C. Color,             developed: Close to 199A to 199C. Lenticels: Density: Dense.             Length: About 1.5 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Color: Close to             N186C. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite or in whorls of three, simple.         -   Length.—About 11.6 cm.         -   Width.—About 8.6 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate to oblong.         -   Apex.—Apiculate.         -   Base.—Rounded to short attenuate.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Glabrous; rugose.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Glabrous; slightly rugose.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Darker than between             141A and 143A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to             138B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker than             between N137A and 147A; venation, close to 144A. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation,             close to 144A to 144B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 2.8 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A. -   Inflorescence & flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single sterile and inconspicuous             fertile flowers arranged on terminal mophead-type panicles;             panicles flattened globular in overall shape; fertile             flowers face mostly upright and sterile flowers face upright             to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant, pleasant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Continuous flowering from late             spring to late summer in The Netherlands.         -   Flower longevity, fertile flowers.—Flowers last about one             week on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower longevity, sterile flowers.—Flowers last about six             weeks on the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering; about 45 fertile             flowers and about 135 sterile flowers per panicle.         -   Panicle height.—About 10.9 cm.         -   Panicle diameter.—About 16.2 cm.         -   Flower diameter, fertile flowers.—About 8 mm.         -   Flower depth (height), fertile flowers.—About 4 mm.         -   Flower diameter, sterile flowers.—About 5 cm.         -   Flower depth (height), sterile flowers.—About 1.4 cm.         -   Flower buds, fertile flowers.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter:             About 4 mm. Shape: Flattened globular. Color: Close to 145C.         -   Flower buds, sterile flowers.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter:             About 7 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 150D; apex, close             to 155B.         -   Petals, fertile flowers only.—Quantity and arrangement: Four             in a single whorl. Length: About 3 mm. Width: About 2.5 mm.             Shape: Broadly ovate, concave. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 75B. When opening and fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 75C.         -   Sepals, fertile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: Five in a             single whorl. Length: About 1.5 mm. Width: About 1 mm.             Shape: Deltoid. Apex: Acute. Base: Broadly cuneate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 75D; apex, close             to 145B to 145C.         -   Sepals, sterile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: Four,             occasionally five, in a single whorl. Length: About 2.9 cm.             Width: About 3.7 cm. Shape: Reniform. Apex: Rounded to             broadly and bluntly acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire to             coarsely serrate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 75C;             towards the apex, close to 75D. When opening, lower surface:             Close to 75C; towards the base, close to 75D. Fully opened,             upper surface: Close to 75C to 75D; towards the apex, close             to 69D; color does not change with development. Fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 75D; towards the apex, close             to 69D; color does not change with development.         -   Pedicels, fertile flowers.—Angle: About 20° from vertical.             Strength: Moderately strong. Length: About 7 mm. Diameter:             About 1 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 69A             and marbled with darker than 63B.         -   Pedicels, sterile flowers.—Angle: About 35° from lateral             branch. Strength: Strong. Length: About 2.6 cm. Diameter:             About 1.5 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 69A             and marbled with darker than 63B.         -   Reproductive organs, fertile flowers only.—Stamens: Quantity             per flower: About eight. Filament length: About 2.5 mm.             Filament color: Close to NN155D. Anther length: About 1 mm.             Anther shape: Broadly reniform. Anther color: Close to 155D.             Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 155D.             Pistils: Pistil quantity per flower: About two. Pistil             length: About 1.5 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma             color: Close to NN155A. Style length: About 1 mm. Style             color: Close to 155C. Ovary color: Close to 157D.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Hydrangea to date. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Hydrangea     plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have been shown     to be tolerant to temperatures in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Hydrangea plant named ‘Horkron’ as illustrated and described. 